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Italy back on top

(FIFA.com) 19 Sep 2007

A 2-1 victory over Ukraine in the race to qualify for EURO 2008
sees FIFA World Cup holders Italy (1st, up 2) climb ahead of
Argentina (2nd, unchanged) and Brazil (3rd, down 2) in the latest
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.

The leading trio of teams have a clear advantage over the
chasing pack, although Germany (4th, up 1) and the Netherlands
(5th, up 2) have overtaken France (6th, down 2), who have lost a
considerable amount of points on the back of their defeat at the
hands of Scotland. Meanwhile, the Scots have taken giant strides up
to 14th (up 9) thanks to victories over Lithuania and France in the
European Championship qualifiers, thereby equalling their best-ever
position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.

There is also notable movement outside of the top 50. Several
European teams have enjoyed significant gains after victories in
EURO 2008 qualifiers, including Wales (53rd, up 21), Hungary (55th,
up 10), Belgium (60th, up 9), Cyprus (68th, up 14), Slovenia (75th,
up 19), Iceland (80th, up 37), Moldova (81st, up 25) and Latvia
(94th, up 16).

The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ preliminary competition has also
catapulted a number of Oceanian teams up the table with Fiji
(119th, up 51), the Solomon Islands (121st, up 40), New Caledonia
(124th, up 44), Vanuatu (133rd, up 34) and Samoa (147th, up 44) all
claiming more than 100 points and jumping more than 30 places. New
Zealand (156th, down 7), who are yet to start their World Cup
qualifying campaign, have therefore lost their lead in Oceania, at
least for the time being.

After defeating Cameroon in the qualifiers for the CAF Africa
Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea (72nd, up 33) are also among the
major movers in September and they too currently sit in their
best-ever position in the ranking.

- The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 24
October 2007.